Well, the weather had been unusually mild, allowing us time to put down the storm windows without freezing our hands until old Jack Frost paid us a brief visit Monday morning. He vowed to be back real soon. Tree limbs and thousands of leaves – what is left of them – are past the peak of color. All is ready for the trick-or-treaters.

Wednesday night, we will celebrate Halloween. Its origin comes from an ancient Celtic festival that is at least 2,000 years old. The American tradition of trick or treat dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. Poor people would beg for food and were given pastries called soul cakes. By the 1920s, Halloween had become a community holiday with parades and town-wide parties. Today, we spend an estimated $7 billion on the occasion annually, making it the country’s second-largest commercial holiday.

On Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., the library will host its annual Halloween party. Complete with hayrides, crafts, treats and costumes galore, the event will have something for everyone. Come in costume, hop on a hayride, make some crafts and munch on some spooky refreshments. The Friends of the Library are sponsoring this free party.

Peggy Stone reports that the annual Halloween party at the Agricultural Hall is from 6 till 8 p.m. on Tuesday. There will be games, prizes, refreshments, fortune telling and the spooky hayride. All are welcome. The event is sponsored by West Tisbury Parks and Recreation.

Phyllis Meras, of Music street, returned home last Wednesday after a business trip down to New York city. She attended the selectmen’s weekly meeting that afternoon, where an impassioned discussion took place about the removal by the town of perhaps the largest and oldest tree on Music street. Several people spoke against removing the tree. In the end, the selectmen agreed with them and voted against its removal.

Mary Pat Hough-Greene of New Freedom, Pa. will be visiting the family home, The Book House, starting on Monday and into the first few days of November. She looks forward to meeting old friends during her brief visit.

Elaine Eugster reports that Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard is inviting all artisans, candlestick makers, knitters and bakers to contribute to our Handmade from the Heart fundraiser, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 8. Please call 508-693-0189 if you have items you wish to donate.

Marie-Louise Rouff, of Field Lane, reports that the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse will exhibit her work until Nov. 9.

These days, Halloween tricks are on the decline. But, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, pushing Lena McNeil’s 1929 black Essex into the nearby swamp, uprooting the junction sign at Brandy Brow corner and planting it in Joe Howes’ front lawn, stringing his wife Bessie’s cloth lines end on end and hooking them on his barn all were routine tricks. I remember Helen Cooper, who lived on Old County Road, played her own trick on the kids that came to her house expecting candy. She had a sign on her front door that asked the kids to knock and ring loudly. They did, but she never opened her door! On the other hand, her neighbors, Donald and Elizabeth Campbell, always gave you cider and popcorn and you got an extra glass if they could identify you even though you wore a costume. That also was the last house to stop at on the road for trick or treaters because the Earle, Fales, Drexler, Richmond and Barth houses were closed for the season.

Happy birthday to Paul Magid, Maureen Fisher, Sid Counsell, Laura Roosevelt and Sarah Bergeron on Friday; Felice Yager, Lawerence Weber, Chrysal Parrot and Philippe Jordi on Saturday; John Adams, Travis Wood and John Bugbee on Sunday; Helene Barr, David Christensen, Joe Capobianco, Francis Cecilio and Fran Finnigan on Monday; Olivia DeGeoffroy, Lisa Epstein and Adam Church on Tuesday; Marjorie Dolan, Laura Entner and Keith Maybury on Wednesday; Judith Baumrin, Cole Ferraiuolo, ace reporter Hermine Hull, Coco Brown, Laurie Larson and Tim Donovan on Thursday. Belated seventh anniversary wishes to Charlie and Stevie Kernick.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Happy Halloween everyone!

West Tisbury town news can be sent to alleys@vineyard.net.